This is a
great old figure, holding what appears to be one of the spirit
bells offered at the shamanic shrines and Masta temples in the
far west of Nepal. We do find shaman and local lineage
deities depicted holding such bells with some regularity. It
also looks similar to the rifle wielding protective figures that
we sometimes find in the area. Weapon toting figures with
similar form are seen only relatively rarely and are meant
usually described as "Pala" or guardian
and will
fend off misfortune in any form it may take. The original
intent and significance of a gun toting figure may actually be
different... a bit more "ancestral" in character, but that is a
long discussion based saved for another time. Suffice to
say that at
other times such figures are also meant to be tribute figures of
sorts, representing a real person who was killed in some martial
endeavor. The
figure is old an exhibits pronounced erosion of the wood, but
looks great and besides expected weathering it is in good
condition.